


Maybe This is Love

by Quagswagging



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Falling In Love, Fluff, Hospitals, Jos Verstappen's A+ Parenting, M/M, Max is still a racing driver, Nurses & Nursing, Surgery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:47:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23701063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quagswagging/pseuds/Quagswagging
Summary: Charles is a dedicated nurse. Max is a racing driver, brought in with heavy stomach pains.
Relationships: Charles Leclerc/Max Verstappen, Kimi Räikkönen/Sebastian Vettel
Comments: 28
Kudos: 174





	Maybe This is Love

**Author's Note:**

> I obviously don't work in a hospital myself, so pls excuse me for any mistakes! On the topic of doctors and nurses: you are all bloody awesome! Thank you so much for all you do <3
> 
> Also the ending is cheesy, don't mind me I JUST WANT HAPPY
> 
> Max is a little softie in this, as is Charles. I take no complaints.
> 
> Aesthetic artwork made by the awesome fraaawst on tumblr, thank you so much!

"Charles, the patient in room four needs a check-up." Sebastian, one of the senior nurses called over to where Charles was washing his hands. Charles nodded in his direction.

"I'm on my way." He called back. 

"Take Lando." Seb called over his shoulder. Charles rolled his eyes and gestured the nursing student closer.

"Come on, little one." He said with a small smile, leading Lando over to the right room. The patient in the room was just recovering from a knee surgery. It was a young law student with a love for jogging, who had slipped on a rainy run. 

"How are you feeling, mister Sainz?" Charles asked softly as he entered, filling a glass with water for him. The man hummed.

"Not too bad." He muttered. Charles nodded and handed him the water.

"We will just check your dressings, okay?" Charles said with a smile, gesturing Lando closer. 

"This is Lando, he is in training." He explained. "He is here to help." Lando gave an awkward wave.

"Tell me if it hurts." Lando said softly, gently peeling away the bandages on the man's leg. The patient was smiling gently at the young student, before hissing as Lando tugged the dressings a bit too hard. 

"I-I'm so sorry…" Lando squeaked, instantly pulling his hands away. The man smiled.

"It's okay." He promised encouragingly. 

"You're better at encouraging him than I am." Charles chuckled, adjusting the way Lando was pulling the dressings away.

Alex, one of Charles's colleagues, came rushing in.

"You're needed in room 1." He said. "I'll help here." He added, smiling at Lando who still seemed a little flustered by it all. Charles wrinkled his nose up a little.

Room 1 was currently rooming a younger man named Max who had been brought in over stomach pains. The man was apparently some sort of big deal in the motorsport world, but Charles had never heard of him. He used to be a big motorsport fan, but now barely kept up with it all after a close friend of his had lost his life at a racetrack. Lando had recognized the young man, telling Charles excitedly that he was apparently set to win a championship one day. Charles had shrugged it all off. He didn’t care about someone’s status, he only cared how the patient would treat him. 

The young racer was a bit aloof and struck Charles as a spoiled little brat, so no, Charles did not like him and definitely did not understand some of the other nurses fawning over him. Despite it all, Charles was a professional, and there was no denying the man was in pain.

The first two days, Max had come in again and again for the pain, his father causing a big fuss when the treatment didn’t go fast enough for his liking. Max was short-tempered and impatient towards the nurses too, but calmed a bit more when his dad wasn't around. Charles delegated the work to the other nurses as much as he could, not wanting to be in the room with the patient’s father. The man was even worse than Max, treating the nurses like slaves and seeing them more as a sexual object than care professional - especially Charles.

But Alex would not ask him to go if it wasn’t very necessary, so Charles squared his shoulders and walked over. When Charles entered the room to check the IV's Max was attached too, he was struck by how clenched the man's jaw was and how sweaty his forehead.

"Are you okay?" Charles asked with a frown. Max nodded, anxiously glancing towards the end of the room where his father was sitting on a plastic chair.

"We need him released from the hospital this afternoon. He has places to be and obviously there is nothing wrong." The man said, getting up and walking closer to loom over Charles. "Also, would you care to get me some coffee, love.?" He added, eyes trailing over Charles's form. Charles felt his skin crawl under the man's gaze. 

"I'll get Doctor Räikkönen." He said, not because he wanted to see Max discharged, but because he was certain there was something very wrong with the young man. 

"Hurry, please." Max groaned out quietly. Charles jogged out of the room and into the next, where Kimi, Doctor Räikkönen, was checking up on a little girl who had fallen on her head.

"I think mister Verstappen has appendicitis." Charles blurted out. Any other doctor would have told him not to diagnose patients (oh he had lost count of the number of times he was told he was _just_ a nurse) but Kimi was different. He stared at Charles for a moment, before nodding. 

"Call for an OR, and get Seb to help me." He said, telling the girl's family he'd be back before rushing after Charles.

"How long has he been in pain?" Kimi asked Charles. Charles shrugged.

"He got in because of stomach pains but today it got a lot worse. His dad wants him discharged though." Charles explained quickly, before they headed into Max's room together. Max's father was instantly on his feet.

"Ah doctor, did the boy tell you we should get released?" He started, extending his hand. Kimi frowned and did not shake it, instead turning to face Max. The young man had tucked his legs up close to his chest, clearly trying to find a comfortable position to lay in to ease the pain. 

"Stretch out." Kimi told him. Max groaned but did as he asked. Charles walked closer and took a hold of Max's forearms, holding them down as Kimi placed his hand on the right side of Max's stomach. Max cried out in pain, tears rolling down his cheeks. Charles tried to shush him, gently rubbing his hand over Max's shoulder, but the man still tried to wiggle away. 

"We suspect it is appendicitis. We need to do surgery to get his appendix out." Kimi explained. Max's father frowned.

"Can that wait? He needs to drive tonight." He huffed impatiently. Kimi shook his head.

"The appendix can burst, and that can be life-threatening. We need to do surgery today." He said firmly. Max whimpered, clearly panicking.

"I-I feel better, I think I just ate something wrong." He said anxiously. Kimi shook his head.

"We need to do the surgery." He said firmly. Max's father huffed impatiently and stormed out the room. Charles was tempted to go after him and smash his head in with a chair - who the hell leaves their son alone when he is hurting so much? - but instead took a deep breath and focused back on Max.

"I-I don't want surgery, please." Max said fearfully. Charles gently stroked the man's hair.

"You will feel better after, okay?" He promised. Max sniffled and shook his head.

"I don't want surgery…" he repeated. Kimi sighed and gently squeezed Max's wrist.

"An OR is already being prepared for you." Kimi said. "It will be okay." He added. The doctor then wandered off to arrange an informed consent form, leaving Charles alone with the young patient. Max turned to Charles.

"My father will be upset, I can't…" he whispered. He seemed truly terrified and Charles felt his heart break a little. 

“Please say yes to the surgery.” he urged. “If your appendix bursts, the contents will leak into your belly. That’s called Peritonitis and it’s actually life-threatening.” he explained more slowly. Max shook his head.

“I’m scared.” he muttered, tears brimming in his eyes. He looked so young and frightened now, so unlike the spoiled brat Charles had made him out to be. Charles reached out to gently card his fingers through Max’s hair.

“It will be okay, I will make sure of it.” he smiled gently. Max calmed a little, looking up at Charles with wide eyes. Kimi came back with the right forms, glancing a bit curiously between the two youngsters. Max signed the forms and agreed with the surgery, which made Charles sigh in relief.

From then on, it was a blur. People came and went, taking Max’s blood for tests and preparing him for the surgery. Charles went back and forth between Max’s rooms and the others, making sure Max was okay while also checking up on the other patients. 

He was just in time to see Max being wheeled away to the operation room and quickly jogged over, gently squeezing Max’s shaking palm.

“I’ll be there when you wake up.” he promised. Max smiled nervously.

“If my father returns…” he started. Charles shushed him.

“We’ll take care of it.” 

~~~~~~~

“You care for him.” Kimi said worriedly when Charles passed him in the long halls. The young nurse blinked and then looked away.

“It is my job to care.” he answered, jutting his chin up in a defiant gesture. Kimi sighed.

“Be careful.” he said, before getting distracted as Sebastian walked over too. The head nurse and the doctor were definitely closer than most people knew, but to Charles it was no secret the two were together. 

“We need to make sure that young appendicitis patient doesn’t get too stressed.” Sebastian told Kimi. “His father needs to be kept at a distance.” he added. Charles nodded in agreement. Kimi sighed.

“That’s not as easy as you’d think. But we’ll try.” he said with a nod. “We have enough staff today with the nursing students, so Charles can stay with Max after the surgery.” 

“I’ll inform security, just in case.” Charles decided as well. Sebastian hummed in agreement, before fussing over Charles’s hair for a moment, making Charles roll his eyes.

“Back to work.” Kimi said pointedly, before giving Seb a soft smile. Charles quickly hurried away, not wanting to interrupt their little moment of peace any further.

Max’s surgery went really well, and after Max had woken up properly and was checked over, he was returned to his room on Charles’s floor. He was still a bit groggy, eyes sluggishly looking up at Charles when the nurse came in.

“How are you feeling?” Charles asked, checking the IV needles in Max’s hand.

“Tired.” Max muttered. “And am thirsty.” he added. Charles hummed.

“You’re not allowed to drink yet.” he explained. “Sorry.” he added more quietly, fingers carding through Max’s hair.

“Is my father here?” Max asked. Charles shook his head.

“No I haven’t seen him. Before you get discharged we need to be sure there is someone to take you home, will your father do that?” Charles asked. He didn’t want Max to be with his father, but he could not veto such a decision. Max sighed and nodded.

“Think so.” he muttered, seeming reluctant. Charles gave him a tender look, patting the hand that had no needle stuck in it.

“I’ll be back later, okay? You try to rest.” he ordered. “Doctor Räikkönen will visit you too to check the stitches in your stomach.” he added. Max smiled tiredly, already starting to fall asleep.

“Thank you.” he mumbled. Charles turned in the doorway, smiling softly

“You’re very welcome.” 

~~~~~~

Charles was just coming back from his break when he realised something was very wrong in Max’s room. Max’s father had returned and was yelling at his son, holding Max’s arm and seemingly trying to drag him off the bed. Charles jogged over immediately, brows furrowing.

“Let go of him!” he said sharply, pushing the older man away from his son. Jos growled and shoved Charles aside, causing the nurse to slam against the wall.

“We need to go, we’re already late because of your stupid little stomach ache.” he told Max. “You need to drive!” Max had one arm proactively curled around his stomach, and his face was set in pain again. 

"Let go of me!" He told his father. Jos raised his hand, clearly ready to slap Max, but Charles held the arm back.

"I think you better leave." He growled hotly, twisting the arm back just enough for it to hurt. A security guard had come over to, and Jos went with them without much of an additional fuss, only still yelling at his son in a language Charles did not understand.

"Charles…" Max gasped out behind him. Charles turned and winched as he realised Max's belly was bleeding, the sutures from the surgery torn. 

"Get Doctor Räikkönen!" Charles called, before carefully helping Max to lay down. Max was trembling, letting out a panicked noise when he saw the blood coating his side. 

“Sssh, breathe Max, it will be okay.” Charles soothed. Max shook his head, lifting his hand and staring at his blood coated fingers. He was clearly afraid, and his face paled considerably. 

“Charles…” Max sobbed. “Hurts.” he whimpered. Charles let out a relieved sigh as Kimi came jogging into the room, Sebastian hot on his heels.

“Out.” Kimi told Charles. Charles frowned and shook his head.

“No!” he answered sharply. Kimi sighed.

“You can’t act professionally when you think with your heart this much.” Kimi told him. “He will be fine, I promise.” he added. Charles urgently shook his head. 

“No, I-” he choked out, eyes trained on the hurt man. Max’s eyes had rolled back in his head, and he laid limply against the pillows. Charles let out a choked sound and tried to reach for him.

“Easy…” Alex had come up behind Charles, wrapping an arm around Charles’s shoulder and leading him away. Charles tried to find his grasp, panic clutching at his chest.

“I need to stay with him.” he argued. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt responsible for the young man. Alex shushed him and pulled him into a hug.

“He will be just fine.” the other nurse soothed. “Kimi is a good doctor.” he added. Charles knew that, of course he did, but he just wanted to be there for Max. Seeing how lost and afraid the young man looked broke his heart. Alex gently held Charles close, trying to block him from the pained groans coming from Max’s room. Lando had come over too, the young student cuddling up against Charles’s back. 

“Charles.” Kimi called out. Charles looked up and saw the tired-looking doctor giving him a small nod. “It’s three, your shift is over. Get changed, and you can sit with him for a while.” the doctor ordered. Charles sniffled and nodded, giving Kimi a grateful smile and rushing off.

Max was slowly waking up by the time Charles returned. Kimi had given him a sedative, having to redo the stitches, but also to make sure Max wouldn’t move too much again to break the sutures again. Charles sat down next to the bed, reaching to take Max’s hand.

“Where is my dad?” Max asked sluggishly. Charles gave him a small smile.

“They escorted him out of the hospital.” Charles said. Max nodded tiredly, turning his palm over to intertwine his fingers with Charles’s.

“Thank you. For protecting me.” he said with a small smile. Charles blushed lightly.

“You can be discharged soon.” he changed the subject. Max swallowed thickly.

“I don’t want my father to bring me home.” he said. Charles sighed.

“I can bring you home? If you want?” he proposed hesitantly. Max seemed relieved.

“I’d like that.” he said with a small smile. 

Alex came in with Lando, helping Max up to stand to check if he was doing okay. Max was still a little bit in pain, but was steady as he walked around the room.

“Much better.” Doctor Räikkönen said from the doorway. “I’ll sign your discharge papers soon.” he said with a nod. Max grinned in relief.

“Thank you.” he said. Kimi nodded.

“You’re welcome.” he answered. “You should be back to racing within a few days if you take it slow.” he added, before leaving the room. Max sighed, a happy grin on his face. Charles chuckled in amusement.

“You really do love racing huh?” he said. He was a bit surprised, thinking it was Max’s father who had wanted Max to race, not Max himself. Max smiled.

“You have no idea.” 

~~~~ 

Charles felt a bit self-conscious as he brought Charles over to his ratty old Fiat. If Max really was as good as famous as Lando had made him out to be, there was no doubt that the Dutchman would be used to a more high-end lifestyle. 

“I like your car.” Max said, surprising Charles. “My mum used to have one very similar to this.” there was a fond smile playing on Max’s lips now, making Charles grin.

Max was attractive when he smiled.

Max did not live too far from the hospital, and when they arrived Max asked Charles to come in for a drink. The apartment was open and spacious, but still felt cosy. Trophies and helmets hung on the wall everyone, as well as pictures and paintings of fast cars and racetracks. Charles walked over to one of the helmets and traced his finger over the lion painted across the top. 

“Here.” Max spoke up, handing Charles a glass of water. He sat down heavily on the couch afterwards, hand ghosting over his side a little.

“Are you alright?” Charles asked worriedly, instantly going “full nurse mode”. Max chuckled.

“Considering someone cut into me and took part of me out - I’m peachy.” he chuckled. Charles relaxed again. 

“Good.” 

They talked for hours after, about Max’s racing and Charles’s job, and Charles was surprised by how comfortable he was around the other man. Understandably, Max tired quickly, the operation and the stress of the day catching up with him. 

“Come on, let me play nurse.” Charles chuckled. Max raised an eyebrow, a cheeky look on his face, and Charles rolled his eyes.

“Not like that.” he said, sticking out his tongue. He helped Max to the bedroom, leaving him along to get changed while Charles got some water so Max could take his painkillers. When he returned to the bedroom, Max was sitting back against the headboard. There was another soft looking shirt laying on the end of the bed, and Charles blinked dumbly at him. Max swallowed awkwardly.

“Would you like to stay?” he asked. “Not for anything sexual! But I… I’d like you to stay.” he muttered, cheeks flushing. Charles peeked up at him through his lashes. He 

“I’d like that too.” 

Charles made sure to keep his hand away from the wound on Max’s stomach as he laid down, but still cuddled as close as he dared. Max hummed and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“I’m glad I met you.” he muttered shyly. Charles chuckled.

“Even if it cost you your appendix?” he teased. Max snorted.

“I’d much rather have you than an appendix.” he answered with a roll of his eyes. Charles grinned.

“Just promise you won’t lose another organ.” he muttered, nuzzling his nose against Max’s cheek. Max smiled.

“I can’t promise, I might lose my heart to you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr: bwoahtastic  
> Kuddos and Comments are the fuel to my writing engine ;)


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